Up Above My Head
| "Up Above My Head, I Hear Music in the Air" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| SinglebySister Rosetta TharpeandMarie Knight | |
| Released | 1948 |
| Recorded | November 24, 1947 |
| Venue | New York City |
| Genre | Gospel,R&B |
| Length | 2:27 |
| Label | Decca |
| Songwriter(s) | Sister Rosetta Tharpe |
"Up Above My Head"is agospelsong of traditional origin, first recorded in 1941 (as "Above My Head I Hear Music In The Air") by The Southern Sons, a vocal group formed by William Langford of theGolden Gate Quartet.[1]In the version that is now the best-known, it was recorded in 1947 bySister Rosetta TharpeandMarie Knightas a duo.
Background
[edit]Thespiritual"Over My Head",apparently dating from the 19th century but of unknown authorship, contains many of the same lines as" Up Above My Head "–" Over my head / I hear music in the air../ There must be a God somewhere "[2]– and may be presumed to be its origin. Civil rights leaderBernice Johnson Reagonchanged the traditional words of the song in 1961, to "Over my head / I see freedom in the air...".[3]In 1995, theNational Association for Music Education(then known as the Music Educators National Conference) published a list of songs that "every American should know", which included "Over My Head".[4]
Sister Rosetta Tharpe recording
[edit]The recording by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight was made on November 24, 1947, in New York City forDecca Records.Besides Tharpe (vocals, guitar) and Knight (vocals), other musicians on the record wereSam Price(piano),George "Pops" Foster(bass), andWallace Bishop(drums).[5]The record reached number 6 on theBillboard"Race Records"chart in late 1948.[6]
The song is formed in the traditionalcall and responseformat, with Tharpe singing a short line followed by Knight's "response" of the same line. There are seven lines (save responses) in each verse—the first six in call and response, and the seventh sung in unison. Tharpe's biographer,Gayle Wald,describes Tharpe's performance as "an ear-popping display of vocal fireworks", singing the opening line "so fierce and smooth at the same time that it anticipates 1960ssoul."She comments that" especially in the driving instrumental bridge between verses, 'Up Above My Head' leaves the Sanctified Church behind and charts a straight course towardrhythm and blues,"adding that the song" had an undeniable energy that paralleled the collective optimism of black people in the post-war years. "[7]
Later recordings
[edit]| "Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In The Air)" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SinglebyAl Hirt | ||||
| from the albumSugar Lips | ||||
| A-side | "September Song" | |||
| Released | October 1964 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 2:14 | |||
| Label | RCA Victor | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Sister Rosetta Tharpe | |||
| Producer(s) | Chet Atkins | |||
| Al Hirtsingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
It was recorded as aduetbyFrankie LaineandJohnnie Rayon October 17, 1956. The song formed part of adouble A-siderelease in theUKin October 1957. Thesinglecombined "Good Evening Friends" with the more fully titled "Up Above My Head, I Hear Music in the Air" (PhilipsPB 708), and peaked at number 25 in theUK Singles Chart.[8]
It was released as a duet byLong John BaldryandRod Stewart(as Long John Baldry and the Hoochie Coochie Men) in June 1964. It was as theB-sidetoUnited ArtistsUP 1056).
Al Hirtreleased a version of the song in 1964 on his album,Sugar Lips.The song went to #12 on theAdult Contemporary chartand #84 on theBillboardHot 100.[9]Hirt released a live version on his 1965 album,Live at Carnegie Hall.[10]It was produced byChet Atkins.[11]
This song was also performed byElvis Presleyin the 1968 TV special,Elvis.It was inserted in the gospel medley with the songs: "Where Could I Go But To The Lord" and "Saved".
A blues version of the song was done by the American singer and musicianRuthie Fosteron her 2007 album;The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster.[12]Vanessa Collieralso recorded the song for her 2017 album,Meeting My Shadow.[13]A roots reggae version also exists recorded by the British actMatumbion their 1978 albumSeven Seals,which was produced byDennis Bovell.[14]
The song was covered byRhiannon Giddenson her solo albumTomorrow Is My Turn.[15]
Lyrics
[edit]"Up above my head (up above my head)
I hear music in the air (I hear music in the air)
Up above my head (up above my head)
I hear music in the air (I hear music in the air)
I really do believe (I really do believe)
There's a Heaven up there. "
Each additional verse is the same as the first, the word "music" replaced with another word (such as "singing," "shouting," et cetera). In the years following the song's introduction many have added more replacement words, which extend the song's length.
The line "Up above my head / I hear music in the air" was later used byThe Trammpsin their 1977 hit "Disco Inferno".[16]
References
[edit]- ^"Up Above My Head I Hear Music in the Air",SecondhandSongs.com.Retrieved 20 August 2019
- ^Jones, Arthur C. (9 November 2005).Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals.Leave a Little Room Fdn.ISBN9780976237709.Retrieved9 November2023– via Google Books.
- ^Carawan, Guy; Carawan, Candie (1 January 2007).Sing for Freedom: The Story of the Civil Rights Movement Through Its Songs.NewSouth Books.ISBN9781588381934.Retrieved9 November2023– via Google Books.
- ^"Get America Singing…Again!",National Association for Music Education.Retrieved 21 August 2019
- ^Decca matrix 74154, Discography of American Historical Recordings.Adp.library.ucsb.edu,Retrieved 21 August 2019
- ^Whitburn, Joel(1996).Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995.Record Research. p.440.ISBN0-89820-115-2.
- ^Wald, Gayle (2007).Shout, Sister, Shout!: The Untold Story of Rock-and-Roll Trailblazer Sister Rosetta Tharpe.Beacon Press.ISBN978-0807009895.
- ^Roberts, David (2006).British Hit Singles & Albums(19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 451.ISBN1-904994-10-5.
- ^Al Hirt's "Up Over My Head (I Hear Music in the Air)" Chart Positions,Musicvf.com,Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- ^Al Hirt,Live at Carnegie Hall,Discogs.com,Retrieved April 11, 2013.
- ^"Up Over My Head" single release,45cat.com,Retrieved July 12, 2014
- ^"The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster - Ruthie Foster - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2018.
- ^"Meeting My Shadow - Vanessa Collier - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic".AllMusic.RetrievedMay 30,2018.
- ^"Matumbi - Seven Seals".Discogs.December 1978.Retrieved30 May2018.
- ^"Tomorrow Is My Turn - Rhiannon Giddens - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2018.
- ^Lyrics: Disco Inferno,Lyrics.com.Retrieved 21 August 2019
